Keep Guacamole from Turning Brown

When I was writing the process steps for the IPA Guacamole in my cookbook I thought it a good idea to offer some advice on how to take the avocados from intact to in the bowl. I did a bit of old-fashioned crowdsourcing and it turns out that you’ve already cracked this nut.

To my amazement, just about everyone named a different method: peel the avocado with a vegetable peeler (seriously?); or with a paring knife; pry the pit out with a spoon; or try to flick it away with your thumb. Obviously, I would’ve been wasting space on a problem that was already vaguely under control.

For the record, I follow the advice that Alton Brown shared with viewers in the Dip Madness episode of Good Eats.

Once the avocado is mashed, the aromatics added, and a guacamole is constructed the second problem arises. Namely: how do we keep the surface of dip from turning brown? With the Super Bowl around the corner I figure many of you will be making some for a party and might want it prepared ahead of time. So, I put together a short video that addresses what will and won’t work. Here it is:

There you have it. Throw the pits away, tightly pack your guacamole into a container – if you want to store it for more than a couple hours, it pays to choose one with a smaller opening – and cover it as closely as possible with plastic wrap. The full recipe for IPA Guacamole can be found in this post or in my cookbook, The Canadian Craft Beer Cookbook.